Chemicals Updates

Asian Toluene: Prices extend slide amid lower offers / Asian toluene prices fall on weak demand / South Korea remains top buyer of Chinese toluene / Benzene, xylene markets also decline sharply

May 25, 2026

Asian toluene down $40/metric ton from the previous close at $979/mt FOB Korea and down $10/mt at $990/ mt FOB China May 22. During the Market on Close assessment process, several offers were floated. The sharpest offer was heard in the morning at $980/mt for 3,000 mt of toluene; however, it expired without attracting any buying interest. A Southeast Asian trader said that the toluene market was soft as demand had slowed. Another Southeast Asian buyer said that some buyers tried to buy toluene at below CFR SEA $1,100, but no sellers were interested. The CFR Southeast Asia marker was assessed down $96/mt week over week at $1,050/mt on May 22. Crude oil futures climbed in midafternoon Asian trading May 22, with analysts attributing the gains to unresolved issues in...

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